目覚ましい

• Reading: めざましい
• Romaji: mezamashii
• Kanji breakdown: 目 (me) — eye; 覚 (zama) — awaken, perceive
• Pronunciation: /me.za.ma.ɕiː/

Meaning

Remarkable; striking; spectacular. Describes progress or achievements that are impressively noteworthy.

An i-adjective used to praise extraordinary progress, growth, or achievement. Literally 'eye-opening' — so impressive it wakes you up. Most commonly paired with 発展 (development), 成長 (growth), or 活躍 (accomplishments): 目覚ましい発展を遂げる (achieve remarkable development). Always carries a strongly positive connotation.

Examples

1. この10年でアジア経済は目覚ましい成長を遂げた。 Over the past ten years, Asian economies have achieved remarkable growth.
2. 新人選手の目覚ましい活躍にファンが沸いた。 Fans were thrilled by the rookie player's spectacular performance.
3. テクノロジーの目覚ましい進歩に驚かされる。 The remarkable advances in technology never cease to amaze me.

Usage Guide

Context: news, business, sports

Tone: positive

Origin & History

Derived from 目覚ます (mezamasu, to awaken the eyes). The adjective form conveys something so remarkable that it jolts the observer awake — impossible to overlook.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal